Archaeologist Discover 18th Century Store

A five-year-long archaeological project in Fort Edward, N.Y. that has yielded everything from musket balls to human remains has unearthed an unusual discovery.A 250-year-old Starbucks.

The find, to be published in the November issue of Archaeology Today, includes among other things, cups, menus, and a 3-foot wide storefront sign.

"I thought that Starbucks were everywhere, but this is ridiculous," said Steven Grepner, the lead archaeologist at the Hudson River site.

By mid-2004, Starbucks had more than 8,000 retail outlets worldwide and was opening new stores at the rate of about three every day. The company planned to open about 1,500 new stores in 2005, including 425 to be located outside the United States. Starbucks has set an eventual goal of 25,000 Starbucks outlets around the world, putting the company on a par with McDonalds and its 30,000 locations. In fact, as soon as the dig is completed, this site too will become a Starbucks.

"One of the most interesting artifacts uncovered is the menu," Grepner boasted. Choices included a 'Decaf Aristocrat', a 'Radical Whig White Chocolate Mocha', and a 'Loyalist Caffe Latte' and came in Apprentice, Patriot, and Revolutionary sizes. "They weren't cheap," Grepner said. "A Revolutionary Radical Wig White Chocolate Mocha set a colonist back the equivalent of $63 at the current rate of inflation."

The most startling discovery was the unsanitary condition of the 18th century Starbucks bathroom. Remarked Grepner, "Some things just never change."